The Shadow of Fiore
by LeNinja365
Summary: He is free. After having his own blood spilled countless times, the Good Hunter is finally free. Now he could go home and settle in for the rest of his life, forgetting everything he has experienced. However, fate has other plans. His job as a hunter is far from over for he awakens in a foreign land with a new mission...to keep himself sane from a rowdy group of mages.
1. For Whom the Bell Tolls

**A/N: Well as the title suggests...yeah it's happening. I started playing Bloodborne once again and damn that game is frustratingly fun. After playing a few hours, and getting tilted by One Reborn and absolutely hardest area in the entire game, I wondered if there was a crossover between Bloodborne and Fairy Tail. So I did a little research and I was surprised to see no such thing, but now it is a thing! Also I'm supposed to be writing the next chapter for my other stories but noooo my brain tells me to stop and create another one. **

**Anyway enough of my rambling and let us begin! **

* * *

"_**Cursed Beast!" **_

"_**Away! Away!" **_

"_**You fiend!" **_

"_**You plague-ridden rat!" **_

"_**It's all your fault!" **_

_**"What's wrong, my hunter? Don't you hear the hunt calling? Hm, look at you, that glint in your eyes. You boy, are insufferable."**_

"_**Majestic! A hunter is still a hunter, even in a dream." **_

"_**You're not hunting beasts, it's you... you're the beast, just think about what you're doing - it's utter madness…"**_

With a grunt he plunged his sword deep into the Great Ones abdomen while he heavily panted. He stood above a pile of bones and skulls while gripping a bloodied broadsword watching the Great One drop its black tattered wings and numerous arms looking up into the night sky. A white mist surrounded it and just mere seconds after the Great One exploded in a mixture of the white mist and black feathers, the wind causing the black cloak draped over his legs to flutter. There was a small child crying out for a moment before relaxing, followed by a raspy breath. Then there was silence, a silence that he had longed for since the very beginning of the hunt, the moment he signed that contract and woke up in that clinic to begin what was the night that tested his humanity to the fullest extent.

It was over. The hunt, the loss, the beasts, the source of the scourge, the nightmare...it was all over. After being killed numerous times in all ways possible and spilling so much blood he could finally go home.

He didn't care about Paleblood or transcending the hunt. All he wanted was to go home and forget this twisted nightmare.

His head twitched once he heard the whispers echoing inside feeling the knowledge of the slain Great One coursing through his mind. He always hated that, but hey he could use the knowledge to summon other hunters when he needed help. Not that it mattered now anyway.

Looking down he would see the familiar lamp giving off its purple benevolent light while little imp like creatures surrounded it and prayed. Despite their disturbing appearance, he couldn't help but appreciate how adorable and curious they are throughout his long journey.

Kneeling and stretching his arm out he snapped his fingers to activate the lamp, sparks flying about while the purple light grew in intensity. With his arm still stretched out he opened the palm of his hand and closed his gray eyes, feeling his conscious fall and his body growing light. The figure slowly faded away in a soft glow, completely oblivious of a ghostly woman who stood at the entrance to the lunarium. While the figure disappeared the woman gave off a soft smile and bowed, soon disappearing as well.

The only thing that was left in the decaying lunarium was a lone umbilical cord.

* * *

_The Hunters Dream_

He felt the hard ground beneath his feet and heard the sound of wood cracking due to the heat. Opening his eyes he looked up and found himself back at the Hunters Dream with the familiar sight of the workshop coated in flames. Not only that, but there was the Doll who stood in the same spot when he first met her. Most of the time he would go to her to channel the Blood Echoes he received after each slain beast, not even sparing her a glance. It was at those times where he felt rage, distress, and sadness coursing through his veins, and the Doll would sense it. She would speak without warning or permission to comfort him, to ease his terrors and frustration. She did all of that out of what she believed was love, and so he decided it was time to repay her for everything she did.

He approached the Doll and bowed. The doll saw his respectful gesture and bowed to him in return.

"Good Hunter, you have come. Dawn will soon break, this night and this dream will end. Gherman awaits you, at the foot of the great tree," she said to him. "Go on Good Hunter..."

The Good Hunter felt a small smile cracking underneath his mask as he heard those words, a smile he never thought he would feel once more. He nodded towards the Doll, but he wasn't going to leave her yet. Carefully his worn gloves reached out and gently grabbed the dolls smooth porcelain hands, gently lifting them up. The Doll would tilt her head confused at the Good Hunters actions. She was surprised that the Good Hunter would do this, especially in his last moments within the dream, but she did not argue or question him and remained still. Reaching into one of his pouches he grabbed an object and placed it on the palm of the Dolls hand, gently curling her fingers inward to close her hands and bringing them to her chest.

The Doll looked at the hunter for a moment before looking down at her closed hands. Slowly opening them she saw a hair ornament resting in the palms of her smooth hands. She felt a wave of emotions overtake her porcelain form, a feeling burning within her chest that she couldn't describe. What was this feeling...could it be?

"What…? What is this?" she marveled at the hair ornament, closing her eyes and bringing it close to her chest once more. "I-I can't remember, not a thing, only...I feel. A yearning, something I've never felt before...what's happening to me?"

The Good Hunter could see a soft glimmer forming on her left eye, reaching his gloved hand out and rubbing his rough thumb underneath her eye to remove the unique looking tear. He examined the tear and widened his eyes in surprise. It was a white stone in the shape of a teardrop, and within the stone was a gem that radiated a gentle aura. At this point the gem within the stone was useless, but he was going to keep it as a reminder that it came from the Doll who truly cared about him.

"Tell me hunter, could this be joy?" she sniffed softly.

He stared at her without even speaking, simply nodding in reply. The Doll couldn't see the small smile due to the mask that concealed the lower part of his face, but she knew it was present just by looking at the slight curve in his eyes.

The Doll couldn't help but smile softly at the Good Hunter. For too long all of the other hunters who took refuge in the dream only saw her as a plain doll, a tool and nothing else. The Good Hunter that stood before her didn't see her as such things; he saw her as a human and he bestowed her a gift that humans could feel. The same joyous feeling pulsed within her chest as she looked at the hunter, and it was pure.

"Thank you, Good Hunter," the Doll thanked while she closed her eyes.

The Good Hunter carefully placed his hand on her shoulder and gently shook her, nodding once more in silence. Taking a step back the two bowed one final time, turning his back to her and walking off to where Gherman was waiting. It was only a short stride through the stone path before he found himself standing at the foot of the once locked gate, taking in the sight before him.

There was a field coated in white flowers that gently swayed in the breeze, as well as numerous headstones scattered about. There were some that stood alone while others were clumped up next to each other. Taking a deep breath the Good Hunter began to stride through the field of flowers with his eyes wandering around. This place was supposed to give off a sense of melancholy, but to the hunter it was only giving him a sense of peace. He closed his eyes and allowed his hands to gently glide through the white flowers, briefly forgetting about the hell he experienced. The brief experience of peace ended when he felt the earth curve beneath him, opening his eyes to see the First Hunter himself sitting in his wheelchair at the foot of a tree that towered above the two, his eyes closed and head lowered.

"Good Hunter, you've done well," Gherman began while the hunter who stood before him listened silently. "The night is near its end. Now, I will show you mercy. You will die, forget the dream, and awake under the morning sun. You will be freed...from this terrible Hunter's dream."

Gherman looked up at the hunter and opened his eyes, seeing the hunter slightly heaving his chest while his black eyes grew glossy. This was a sight that he was used to. All of the hunters that he's met in the past wanted one thing and one thing only after enduring so much suffering: freedom. Without warning there was a loud thud from behind the Good Hunter, the Kirk Hammer that was once attached to his back now crushing the white flowers. He fell to his knees in exhaustion and released a heavy sigh, his entire body loosening while he lowered his head.

Clearly submitting his life, Gherman gravely nodded. Slowly he gripped the handles of his wheelchair and stood up, towering above yet another hunter he was granting salvation to. He grabbed the handle of his Burial Blade and removed it from his back, unfolding the monstrosity of a weapon silently. The Good Hunter could see the jagged blade that was just inches away from his eyes, not even feeling a slight tinge of fear or doubt. He just felt the peace that he was longing for.

"Farewell, my keen Hunter," Gherman arched the scythe and aimed for the Good Hunters neck. He closed his eyes and relaxed his body, opening his mouth to croak the words that he's heard in all of the texts and visions he's seen.

"**Fear the blood." **

* * *

_Magnolia, Fiore _

_Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!_

One word can describe what the members of Fairy Tail are feeling right now on such a glorious Saturday afternoon.

Miserable.

Absolutely Miserable.

The once rowdy members groaned in annoyance as they had their hands covering their ears to block the tolling of the bell coming from Kardia Cathedral, some even used their magic as an attempt to block out the noise. Lucy hiding within Horologium with her hands clasped over her ears, Gray using ice made ear mufflers, and Elfman using one of his beast arms to cover his right ear while his left ear was planted on a wooden table. Despite everyone's efforts to block out the tolling, they could still hear it.

Poor Happy was desperately clinging onto Natsus back with his head burried underneath his vest, the latter growling as he gripped the ends of his scarf which used to cover his ears, "Man, how long has that stupid bell been rining for?!"

"Long enough to annoy the hell out of us that's for sure," Gray replied while constantly adjusting his ear muffs.

"If you want a more specific answer, Natsu," Macao began from the bar stool with his back facing them, turning around to reveal horrific looking bags underneath his eyes. "Since 5 o'clock in the morning…"

Both Natsu and Gray cringed at the sight of Macaos exhausted face. Apparently he had gone out to drink with a couple of his buddies late last night and planned to sleep in until 10 before waking up and heading over to the guild, but of course the bell had other plans and demanded him to wake up early. Now here he was running on fumes gripping a cup of coffee tightly, his left eye twitching with each toll ringing in the distance. He wasn't the only one who was rudely awakened. A handful of other members were shaken awake by the bell, including the women who stayed at Fairy Hills and Lucy who stayed in her apartment.

Now up to this point the bell was continuously tolling much to everyone's annoyance. Some members were already showing in their patience thinning and, much to everyone's surprise, Mirajane was beginning to lose her patience.

Yeah that's right..._Mirajane_! Losing her _patience_!

It may not look like it though because of the sweet smile on her face, but good grief the demonic aura she was pulsating with each toll shook everyone to the core. She was currently cleaning out one of cups that was previously filled with coffee, her grip on the handle so tight that her knuckles were white. It was obvious that she was showing restraint, but that restraint looked like it won't hold for any longer. No one even dared to approach her and ask because they knew very well that it was that damned bell that was making her feel like this.

The bell continued to toll…

_Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong! __**DONG! DONG! DONG! **_

"GAAAH THAT'S IT!" Natsu screamed in frustration as he shattered one of the wooden tables with a flaming fist. He then stomped on over to the main doors that lead out of the guild with Happy holding onto him desperately.

"Woah! N-Natsu where are you going?!" he cried out as he flapped in the wind like a flag.

"I'm heading to Kardia to see what the hells going on! The bell never rings for this long!" Natsu growled.

"Flame brain has a point," Gray nodded in agreement. "I've never heard Kardias bells ringing for this long, so something must be going on there."

"'I don't think I've ever heard those bells ringing at all until now…' Lucy exasperatingly mumbles" Horologuim said speaking on her behalf.

Natsu kicked the doors of the guild wide open and stormed outside as he made a sprint directly to where Kardia Cathedral was, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. Macao stood up from his bar stool and cupped his hands around his mouth with a nervous look on his face, "Natsu, for everything that's holy please dont cause damage to the cathedral! It's a historic landmark!"

"Macao, he's not gonna listen," Cana sighed shaking her head with a cup of wine in hand.

"Yep, and knowing him he'll most likely punch the bells off the tower...or worse," Wakaba said causing Macao to blanch.

"Masters gonna kill us…" he lowered his head in defeat and deflated his shoulders.

"Lucky for us he's at a meeting with the other guild masters, and on top of that Erza is still out on her mission," Wakaba approached Macao and wrapped an arm around his shoulders releasing a chuckle. "So just-"

_**WHAM!**_

Wakaba was cut off with the doors of the guild suddenly bursting open again. Some people expected it to be Natsu already back, but instead it was Loke who had a frantic look on his face.

"I got bad news!" he yelled out grabbing the rest of the guild members attention. "It's Erza...she's back!"

The moment he mentioned Erza coming back everyone screamed out in fear with terrified looks on their faces, with the exception of two close friends. Macao slowly turned to Wakaba with a glare while the latter looked visibly blanched with his mouth slightly open, his pipe hanging in between his lips.

"Calm down…"

* * *

_Kardia Cathedral_

_Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!_

Natsu stood before the main wooden doors of Kardia Cathedral with his arms crossed, a scowl clearly present across his lips. The ringing sounded so much worse up close and it didn't show any signs of slowing down any time soon. He looked up and narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the bell that was ringing at the center of the cathedral, surprised to see that the rope that was supposed to be pulling the bell wasn't present.

What the hell...how was that possible? Surely the rope has to be hidden somewhere on the bell, right? That or it was some stupid guy using magic to annoy the entire town! What was he trying to accomplish by ringing that bell nonstop? Because whatever his goal was he was sure as hell achieving something, and that something was a flaming fist to the face!

"You ready to crash to crash this guys party?" Natsu asked his partner with a determined grin, bringing his arms up and cracking his knuckles.

Happy rubbed his ears some more and nodded, "Aye, he's going to pay for messing with my hearing."

"Then let's get started!" Natsu lifted his leg and harshly kicked the doors of the Cathedral wide open, soon storming inside with flames coating his fists. "HEY PAL, JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE-huh?"

Indeed there was someone inside the guild, but it wasn't the person he was expecting. Down at the end of the Cathedral lying on the stairs leading to the altar was a figure coated in black. Natsu could make out the figure as being a person due to having leather boots on its feet and worn gloves. However, those two details weren't enough to satisfy Natsu's growing curiosity. Happy was walking towards him from behind, suddenly stopping when the Dragon Slayer held up a hand behind him.

"Wait here," Natsu commanded, now making a slow walk towards the figure.

Happy gave him a confused look before peaking to the side, looking down the wide isle and widening his eyes to see the figure Natsu was walking towards. Immediately he felt a dreadful aura radiating off of the figure the moment he laid his eyes on it, and the more he watched Natsu inch closer the more that aura would grow. Happy could also sense something else radiating off of the figure, it was...foreign...twisted. He felt the alarms in his head ring louder than the bell, feeling a bead of sweat dampening his fur on the side of his head.

"Natsu, please be careful! I don't like the vibe radiating off of it!" Happy warned with a nervous look on his face.

Natsu didn't reply to his warning, his eyes locked onto the unconscious person as he heard the echo if the bell ringing above his footsteps. Upon getting closer he could see that this person was a male. He had two leather strapped that were cross over one another above his black garb, the strap to the left holding small empty vials. There was also a cape looking cloak that was attached to his waist, the leather divided into two to cover his pants which were tucked into his boots. Finally, he had a small cape draped over shoulders and on his head there was a tricorn cap draped over his eyes, the two ends clearly worn and tattered.

"Nice clothing…" he muttered now standing right in front of the unconscious figure.

Carefully he placed a hand on his knee and lowered himself, trying to look underneath the cap to catch the persons face. Natsu frowned when he saw the lower end of his face covered by a cloth and the cap just pulled over his eyes. Man, whoever this was really wanted to keep his identity a secret from people, but it won't be kept a secret from him. Slowly he reached a hand out to remove the cap from his head, the bells behind him drowning out as his heart began to thump against his chest in anticipation.

Back at the doors Happy was practically sweating bullets while he bit his claws in a comedic way. His own heart was practically beating out of his chest when he saw Natsu reaching out for the man's cap.

_Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong…._

The bells...they finally stopped ringing! Happy could hear the final toll echoing across the Cathedral, the air around him suddenly going still. Then he felt it...a flare of magic...and it was radiating off of the guy Natsu was reaching for! He opened his mouth and was about to scream his name, but the doors behind him suddenly flew open. A large shadow was cast over him, now feeling an all too familiar menacing glare that was probably burning through the back of Natsu's head.

"NATSU!"

The Dragon Slayer yelped in surprise and quickly snapped his head behind him, widening his eyes to see an armored redhead glaring daggers right through his eyes, "E-Erza?!"

Before he even had time to react a gloved hand suddenly shot out from the masked man's side grabbing Natsu's wrist tightly and yanking him close. Natsu yelled as he was suddenly yanked towards the masked man, quickly looking back over to meet a pair of gray slightly glaring at him. He felt a chill crawl down his spine when he looked into the man's eyes, seeing something unsettling beneath the glint they gave off.

"Hands...off."

* * *

**A/N: And that's that! If any of you were wondering The Hunter is wearing the Yharnam Hunter set with the Hunter Cap. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you again soon! **


	2. The Hunter in Magnolia

**A/N: Wowie I didn't expect a whole lotta people showing so much interest in this story in a matter of days, but hey thank you so much for those who favorited, followed, and dropped a review! To answer a question that caught my eye, I will add an author's note to show my hunters stats soon. I'm still grinding him out. Now, without further ado, enjoy the next chapter! **

* * *

_..._

"_Well then, what's an outsider like you doing here in Yharnam?" asked a figure in a wheelchair, his head slightly tilted in curiosity. _

"_I heard that the city is home to the blood ministration. The Healing Church practices blood healing, do they not?" _

_The figure leaned back in his wheelchair and gripped the handlebars on the wheels, bringing himself closer to the outsider who sat on a medical table, "You haven't answered my question young man. As the Blood Minister, I'm sure that you're here to cure that nasty disease of yours, but there is another reason why. I can see it by that look in your eyes." _

_The outsider looked at the Blood Minister with a frown for a moment before his eyes suddenly bulged out. He quickly brought a hand to his lips and coughed violently, feeling claws digging into the back of his throat with each violent cough released. Once he stopped he took a deep breath and wiped the evident blood on his trousers, the same frown returning to his face once more. _

"_Paleblood. I'm…I'm in search for Paleblood," he replied reluctantly. _

_The Blood Minister sat in silence for a moment, staring at the outsider in a way that made him uncomfortable. He swore he could see a small grin forming on his shrouded face. _

"_Oh, yes…Paleblood," he finally spoke with a slight chuckle, bringing his hands to the wheels and rolling himself to the outsider. "Well, you've come to the right place. Yharnam is the home of blood ministration, established by the Healing Church of course. You need only unravel its mystery." _

_The Blood Minister was now close enough to reveal himself to be an old man wearing an old ragged coat and a top hat, his eyes covered in bandages. To be fair, this wasn't the first time the outsider saw someone with bandages around their face. On his journey to the clinic earlier there were a handful of Yharnamites who had their faces coated in decaying bandages and hair growing unnaturally, making their appearance very disturbing. Some even snarled at him, causing other onlookers to push those who did away from him. _

_What did he get himself into? _

"_But where is an outsider like yourself to begin?" the Blood Minister leaned closer to the outsider who leaned away from him, a glint of fear in his eyes. "Easy, with a bit of Yharnam blood of your own you'll be good as new so you can search for Paleblood, but first…" _

_He trailed off and reached into his coat, pulling out a document and handing it over to the young man who grabbed it. _

"_You'll need a contract." _

_The Outsider looked at the Blood Minister skeptically before looking back at the document, the dim lighting in the room making it difficult to read. He squinted his eyes and brought it closer to his face, making out poorly written cursive and ink splotches everywhere. There were some flecks conveniently placed on the important parts of the document, and that made him quirk a brow suspiciously. He was slowly but surely regretting his decision coming here for his cure and search for knowledge, on the verge of dropping the contract and walking right out the doors of the clinic. However, his sudden coughing fit told him to stay seated and sign that contract if he wanted to live._

_Grabbing the pen offered by the Blood Minister, he filled out all the required spaces on the contract quickly, giving both items back. _

"_Good. All signed and sealed," he took the two items from the young man and slid them behind his coat. "Now, let's begin the transfusion." _

_The Blood Minister beckoned the young man to lie down on the table, the latter nodding before taking a deep breath and resting his back on the cold metal underneath him. He looked up at the wooden ceiling before his eyes flicked to the Blood Minister who hovered above him, unable to see what he was holding underneath. _

"_Oh, don't you worry this will be over in no time," he chuckled while he placed something cold and sharp on the Outsiders vein, causing him to swallow visibly. "Whatever happens...you may think it all a mere bad dream…" _

_The Outsider flinched when he felt the prick of the needle slide through his skin and pierce his vein, instantly feeling the rush of Yharnam blood invading his bloodstream. Everything was fine for the first few seconds before his vision grew blurry in the blink of an eye, followed by his body and mind becoming numb. He tried to fight it by shaking his head and taking deep breaths, but he only found it more difficult to breathe with each passing second. While he struggled to stay awake, he heard the Blood Minister release a wheeze, soon laughing with his head lowered. _

_Gritting his teeth the Outsider mustered his strength to sit up, only making little progress before a sudden jolt forced demanded his body to shut down. The shock forced his head to slam down on the metal with an audible 'clang', his eyes rolling to the back of his head with the world around him going dark. _

* * *

_..._

The Hunter stirred awake with the sound of Yharnam bells ringing above him, feeling himself lying down in a slouched position on top of a set of small steps. The first thing that came to mind was pain, but it wasn't the type of pain he felt during the hunt. It was the type that told him that his body was rebelling. His stomach had knots tied around begging for food, alongside his dry throat begging for water. Every time he swallowed there was the sensation of rusty nails being shoved down his throat with its pointed tips scratching his esophagus. The unpleasant feeling made him wince, now wanting to find food and water to alleviate this pain.

He was about to adjust the cap blocking his vision to take in his surroundings, only to stop when felt someone standing dangerously close in front of him, followed by the Yharnam bells suddenly ceasing their activity. The Hunter expected to hear the final toll echo across the city, but it echoed through the walls of a cathedral instead.

What? Was he back at the Cathedral Ward? That's odd, Gherman told him he would awake under the morning sun. Wait...why does he remember Gherman, the Cathedral Ward, and the deathly echoes of the streets of Yharnam?

Then all at once those horrific memories of the Hunt came crashing down on his hazy mind. The demented Yharnamites, the Scourge Beasts, Eileen, Alfred, the little girl, the Hunters Dream...his deaths. Gherman told him he would forget the dream, and he believed that along with the dream he would forget the horrors of the Hunt.

If he told him he would forget, then why the hell does he still remember?! That old bastard lied to him!

"NATSU!"

The Hunter was snapped out of his forthcoming rage when he heard a young lady scream out someone's name, followed by a young man yelping.

"E-Erza?!"

Natsu? Erza? Where in the world did Gherman send him to?!

He snapped his hand out and felt someone's wrist, firmly grabbing it and pulling the owner close to him. He then jerked his head up to inspect the individual he grabbed, seeing a young man who was about 17 years old with spiky pink hair and brown eyes. His attire was interesting; he wore an open waistcoat with black and gold trimmings, white knee-length pants, black sandals, and a white scale patterned scarf wrapped around his neck.

The Hunter saw the surprised look in the boy's eyes, his own traveling to the wrist he grabbed. It appeared that he was going to touch him or remove his cap, and the thought of that made him narrow his eyes. There was one thing in the entire world that he hated with a burning passion, the same level of hatred he had for Kin.

He hated being touched.

"Hands...off," he rasped, forcing the young man's arm to his own chest and shoving him away.

The pink-haired boy stumbled away and nearly lost his footing, quickly looking back at the Hunter who was slowly standing up. He placed his hands on the stone ground beneath him and used them as support while he stood up, his legs slightly buckling underneath. After shaking his head to remove the slight daze that clouded his vision, the Hunter looked around and found himself standing within a cathedral. Though, this cathedral looked different from the ones in Yharnam. It didn't have any statues worshipping the Great Ones or show any signs of decay; this cathedral looked…normal.

"Hey, you!" yelled the boy, gaining the Hunter's attention. "Who are you and why the hell were you ringing those bells?"

The Hunter stared at him silently for a moment, processing the question that he was just asked. He? Ringing the bells? The bloody hell was this boy on about him 'ringing the bells'?

His reply was him quirking a brow, silently telling him he did not understand what he was talking about. Unfortunately, the boy misinterpreted the look on his face and clenched his fists, lowering himself and flashing a wicked grin.

"Not gonna talk, eh?" he said with his fists suddenly bursting into flames, his sudden act alarming the Hunter. "Fine, then I'll force the words right outta your mouth!"

He yelled and lunged at the Hunter, reeling his flaming fist back and launching it right at his head. Spreading his legs and getting into his stance, the Hunter quickly sidestepped the attack, the pink-haired boys fist flying right past him. With another yell he ignited his foot and twisted his body, sending the Hunter a flaming kick in which he dodged by leaping back. The Hunter landed on the steps that he once rested on and turned himself in the opposite direction, sprinting away from the pink haired boy.

He has learned many things in his time at Yharnam with each painful death and intense fight, and this young man's flaming fists reminded him of not one, not two, but _three_ creatures he had to fight.

Why was he running? Because he didn't want to relive the experience of being burned alive countless times. Also, he didn't have any of his trick weapons on him.

"Erza, he's making a break for it!" the pink haired boy warned his scarlet haired companion who was standing at the doorway leading to the sun.

"Not for long!" the scarlet-haired female yelled, extending her armored arm and opening a metallic hand. "Halt!"

In a flash of light, a broadsword appeared in her hand out of thin air, causing the Hunter to widen his eyes in shock. She summoned her sword out of thin air! The hell kind of Arcane was she using?!

She pointed the blade's tip right at him and stood her ground, giving off a menacing look that sent a shiver down his spine. He got a good look at her while he sprinted closer, seeing that she was wearing an armored breastplate that had a strange red symbol on its left side, followed by a yellow cross overlapping the symbol.

A rune perhaps?

The scarlet haired swordswoman also had shoulder plates and gauntlets, followed by an armored skirt and knee-length boots. To be honest, she looked very attractive being a girl near his age, despite giving off that menacing look that _still _sent shivers down his spine. The Hunter shook his head and glared, slightly leaning his body forward to gain momentum. If she would not move out of the way, then he must go around her.

"He's not stopping!" warned a childlike voice, the source coming from…a blue cat with wings hovering next to her?!

'_Good grief, Gherman...where the hell did you send me? If this is home, then I don't recall flying, talking cats!' _The Hunter mentally exclaimed before looking off to the side, his thoughts drifting deeper. '_Unless my disease was rotting away part of my mind to where I don't remember…home.' _

While the Hunter continued to think deeply, at the worst time possible, he failed to notice the scarlet swordswoman still standing her ground with her blade still pointing straight at him. She narrowed her eyes and slightly gritted her teeth, realizing that the Hunter would not stop soon. Having no other choice, she adjusted her weapon in hand and hung it low behind her, now sprinting quickly at the Hunter. With a yell, she tightened her grip around the handle and swung at him diagonally.

Her battle cry snapped him out of his stupor, widening his eyes in panic seeing her sword coming right at him. With his muscle memory taking over he firmly planted his foot on the ground beneath him and leapt to the side, gritting his teeth as her sword _barely_ grazed his shoulder. Once he landed, she quickly followed up with another attack, swiping her sword vertically at the Hunter. She believed that her attack would strike him, but to her surprise he rolled out of the way before her sword reached mid swing.

Using the momentum he gained from the roll he got back up on his feet and sprinted at a faster pace, bolting right through the wooden doors. The intense light of the sun filled his vision once he sprinted outside, forcing him to yell in pain and shut his eyes tightly.

"STOP!" the scarlet-haired woman ordered, now giving him a chase with the pink haired boy and flying cat not too far behind.

The Hunter fluttered his eyes open and adjusted to the bright sunlight, glancing back at the three who were chasing him. The three of them had determined looks on their eyes, clearly showing him they would not give up anytime soon. Their determination reminded him of the befallen Hunters that he had slain traveling through Yharnam, including that _filthy_ Bloody Crow of Cainhurst. He gritted his teeth underneath his mask and looked back ahead, turning a sharp corner which led to a bustling marketplace. The crowd turned to him with surprised looks on their faces, some yelling while the Hunter shoved past them. He really didn't want to do this, but those three gave him no choice.

Never hunt a Hunter...unless you were Eileen.

* * *

_..._

The three Fairy Tail mages expected to see the masked male trapped in an alleyway when he rounded the corner, but unfortunately they were met by a sea of dazed people. There were a handful of them being helped by others, presumably shoved out of the way by the male. Erza unsummoned her broadsword and approached an aging brunette who held her head.

"Are you alright ma'am?" she asked while gently grabbing her shoulder and lifting her up.

"Oh, I am dear. Thank you so much," the brunette smiled sweetly and nodded. "That young man was in quite a rush… I suppose that you three were after him?"

Erza nodded and scanned over the crowd, finding no sign of a frilled cap anywhere. He must of ran a good few feet before settling in to be part of the crowd, a clever move on his part. She knew well enough that it would be a waste of time searching through a large group of people just to find one person over a minor inconvenience that annoyed everyone in the guild. There were much more important issues to deal with, and there was one specifically that she needed quickly solve before it was too late.

However, she couldn't help but replay what had happened in the cathedral. The way how he avoided their attacks stuck to her mind, especially hers. He was quick on his feet and anticipated their attacks from the start, and there was even a moment where she found herself wide open for him to attack. He had the opportunity to do so, but he kept on running away from them instead. That masked man was very unusual, and deep down she knew she'll be seeing him again.

Just not today.

"Whydah stop?! Come on he's getting away!" Natsu eagerly exclaimed while rushing past Erza.

The scarlet haired mage glared at Natsu before grabbing the collar of his waistcoat, the sudden force stopping him right in his tracks. He growled and stubbornly fought against her grip, digging his sandals into the ground and comically flailing his arms in front of him.

"Let go! He made Mira mad and didn't fight like a man!" he strained.

"Natsu, if you don't stop struggling right now then I'll give you a reason to… " Erza dangerously growled at him with a menacing shadow draped over her eyes. "Do you understand?"

The Dragon Slayer immediately stopped struggling and released an audible gulp, feeling his heart skip a beat once he saw the red glint glowing where her eyes were. He nodded meekly and quickly saluted, "A-Aye, Erza!"

"Good, now let's head back to the guild," Erza nodded and began to drag Natsu across the ground. "We have much more pressing matters to deal with."

"Um, how pressing is it?" Happy asked while hovering next to her.

She turned and gave Happy a look that made him swallow audibly too. It was a look that told him that whatever the situation was; it was a life or death scenario. It was as if the entire world depended on it if it was that serious!

"Extremely."

* * *

_20 Minutes Later _

Finally!

After searching through the entirety of Fiore for ages, he had found a spot to sell the best vegetables known to man! Also, this wasn't just any spot, it was located in the heart of the most famous city in the entire kingdom! Now he can finally sell his most prized vegetables to the people of Fiore without even having to worry about getting jumped by bandits or having anything destroyed. He already had the cart set up, so now all he had to do was empty the bags and stock up!

He hummed a happy tune and walked behind his cart with his eyes closed, rubbing his hands together excitedly as he reached for the first bag. He expected to feel the knot, but he felt nothing. With an eye popping open he was hoping to see the bag remaining in its place, but to his horror it was gone! The bag was gone without a trace!

He swore he left it right here once he arrived, and he made sure that it would be the first thing he would empty since it held his most prized vegetables! It wasn't his radishes, potatoes, carrots, or beans.

The merchant fell to his knees and gripped the bandana on his head, clutching it tightly while he shook his head. Those vegetables were going to be the foundation of his business, and someone stole them!

Someone…someone stole-

"MY CABBAGES!"

* * *

_... _

The Hunter heard the distant scream of 'cabbages', glancing back at the source and quirking a brow. He was beginning to wonder if that unsuspecting merchant was going to notice the missing bag of cabbages, almost believing that he completely forgot about them. Oh well, it wasn't his fault he was practically starving while he hid from those three kids, and that the merchant completely left the bag unattended. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to grab water without being seen, but thankfully the cabbages would somewhat quench his thirst thanks to them containing some water.

Adjusting the bag over his shoulder, the Hunter focused back on the road in front of him, now taking in the sights and buildings that surrounded him. The architecture was much more lively than Yharnams. There were no gothic spires, caged windows, or anything dark that made up the homes and churches of the rotting city. All the houses in this town had color and life to them, and the foundation that they were built upon showed no signs of decay.

This was a much needed change of scenery. There were no crucified beasts, chained coffins, or malformed corpses lying around. There were children laughing in the streets and couples walking together, barmaids tending to hungry customers with smiles on their faces. The amount of life radiating off the city and its people could make any man smile.

But not him.

Why would a man who has walked through a plain worse than hell even smile, seeing and witnessing things that could break any man within the first 10 minutes? He would have been if Gherman was actually true to his word.

Gherman...lying old bastard.

The Hunter walked through the city streets with a frown hidden beneath his mask, ignoring the nervous looks that people gave him before quickly walking away. There was even a small child who was quickly pulled away by her mother. It was funny seeing everyone quickly walked away from him as if he was a beast among them, and it was ironic. Because he was a beast, just like Djuria told him before receiving a bullet through his skull to end his suffering.

He scoffed to himself and continued his trek in silence, entering a small plaza surrounded by buildings. There were some painted in pink and green, most of them being shops selling clothing or food. Speaking of food, he felt his stomach bark at him for the cabbages he had.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled under his breath while gripping it. "I'll feed you...fucking animal."

He removed his hand from his gut and peered around the plaza, trying to find a secluded place to eat in silence. Lucky for him he spotted a three story library with stained glass windows at the very corner hidden away from all the bustling shops; It was the perfect place for him. Nodding to himself the Hunter made his way to the library, reading the sign that said '_Magnolia Public Library.' _

Magnolia. A fitting name for a city filled with bustling positivity. The name was foreign to the Hunter obviously, but he'll get used to it the longer he stayed.

He diverted his attention away from the sign and planted his hand on the wooden door, forcing it open and stepping inside. Immediately he was met by the sweet silence he was looking for, noting how vast the library was. There were rows upon rows of shelves containing books of all kinds. Fiction, non-fiction, history, and more. This was the perfect place to eat in peace and read about the land he woke up in. The Hunter made his way through the library in silence, once more ignoring the nervous looks readers were giving him.

"Lets see, a history book would be nice," he muttered as he made his way into one row, dragging his finger across the neatly placed books. "Hopefully there's one explaining that redheads Arcane."

The Hunter was surprised when he saw the woman summon a sword out of thin air, but it didn't come close to the many things that boggled his mind to the core, whether it be slaying big blue headed celestials, falling through the moonside lake, or witnessing a centipede like creature firing burning meteors at you. However, he was curious to know how it was possible to achieve such a feat without going mad.

Then he saw it, the book he was looking for to answer his question. He pulled it out from the shelf and dusted it off, reading the title carefully.

"_The History of Fiore and Magic,"_ he hummed, opening the book and skimming through the pages that contained the information he needed. "Hmm, two birds with one stone."

The Hunter shut the book audibly and tucked it underneath his arm. Now with that out of the way, all he had to do was find a spot to read and eat in peace. Maybe the third floor will do.

And so he dragged himself to the center of the library, spotting the staircase that led up to the upper floors. As he climbed up, he glanced at the many old portraits that had the faces of authors holding onto their books, one of them looking terribly grotesque in appearance. Their eyeless face bore into his while gripping onto a rotten book, long tentacles emerging from its mouth.

'_Hmm, who in the world would paint such an abomination,'_ the Hunter thought as he rounded the corner, climbing up the next flight before stopping in his tracks. '_Wait...WHAT THE FUCK?!'_

Upon realizing what that _thing_ was he felt his breath hitch, nearly losing his grip on the bag of cabbages. He quickly scrambled down the stairs to where the portrait was, looking over it with a frantic look in his eyes. The frame now just had a painting of a woman smiling innocently at the scarred Hunter, holding onto her book like how the others were.

The Hunter swallowed the lump in his throat and released a tired sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a gloved hand. His mind...his mind was just playing tricks. Y-Yeah just playing tricks that's all! All he needed was to do was eat and read to ease his mind. Surely, this will be the only time such an occurrence happens...right?

'_No,'_ he slapped himself and took a deep breath, resuming his trek up the stairs to the third floor, '_It'll only happen once, that's it.'_

The Hunter exhaled slowly to calm his nerves, repeating the same process over and over once he reached the third floor. He stepped out from the stairs and looked around, seeing many tables littering the entire floor. This place was indeed the reading floor for those who just wished to read in peace, and much to his relief there was nobody occupying any of the tables. It was just him all alone. His eyes wandered through the tables before stopping at the one he was looking for, it tucked away perfectly in the very corner.

Releasing a muffled sigh he walked over to the table and sat down on the lone chair, dropping the bag of cabbages right next to him. Quietly, he placed the book on the wooden surface and slid his hand across it, scooting his seat closer to the table. The book was thick now that he got a closer look at it, so this would take a while to read. It would be worth it at the end though.

Wasting no more time the Hunter opened the book and began to read in silence, his other hand reaching down to open the bag so he could finally swallow something other than his own blood.

* * *

_1 Day Later_

"_You will die, forget the dream, and awake under the morning sun." _

_The Hunter stood before Gherman as he heard those words, those damned words that he believed. He was just so desperate at the moment he couldn't think. All he wanted was to be free from this curse, forget the hell that was Yharnam and the beasts he faced. With a tearful look in his eyes, the Hunter fell on his knees and looked down, submitting his life to the keeper of the Hunter's Dream. _

_He waited for him to stand and grant him his mercy, but suddenly he felt himself growing weightless. Quickly looking up he found himself surrounded by darkness, soon feeling the wind blowing harshly against his face. _

_Was he falling?!_

_The Hunter gasped and flailed his arms in panic, shouting as he suddenly began to spin out of control. He desperately tried to get himself out of the violent spin, but what he was trying to do only made it worse. _

"_Hmph, I wouldn't call yourself a hunter. You're a bloody killer." _

"_Oh moi oh mon! It appears we have a beast among the fairies!" _

"_Oh, it's so fun to play with you humans! Especially with you, dear hunter." _

"_Just think about it, all the power you will have when you're with me! Why waste your breath with these pathetic worms?" _

"_Good Hunter, please for our sake...purge the source of the nightmare. Lest the Kingdom of Fiore suffer the fate of Yharnam for all eternity." _

"_Your home? Pfft, that place is long gone young man...thanks to the plague that ravaged your people." _

_All at once more voices began to screech and yell into his ears, followed by the cries and roars of the many beasts he has faced. The Hunter shut his eyes and clamped his hands over his ears, desperately trying to block out the haunting roars that echoed inside his head. Suddenly he felt the hard ground ram into him, the stone cracking underneath. His entire body screamed in pain, finding it severely painful to move a muscle. _

_Mustering up what little strength he had left he slowly lifted his head and looked up, widening his eyes to find himself right before the cathedral he woke up in. The bells chimed in all their glory at his arrival, a paleblood moon rising directly behind it. Groaning the Hunter lifted himself with his arms, gasping as a dark figure formed before his very eyes. It was frail and lanky, its entire form composed of human flesh and bones...saved for its head which had large tentacles for 'hair.' The being descended onto the cathedral roof, looking down at the Hunter while grabbing one of the many bells that rang. It continued to chime the bell, the chiming growing louder and louder all around the young man. _

"_It's time to wake up, Ervin." _

**DOOOOONG!**

* * *

"Uh, sir? Are you alri-"

"GRAH!"

The Hunter yelled and snapped his head up from the book, looking around with his eyes full of terror. He panted heavily into his mask, gripping onto the chair tightly underneath him. That dream...what the hell was that dream?! What were those voices trying to tell him, and what the fuck was that beast he saw in the dream?! Dammit all Ghermam, what have you done?!

"Ehh, sir?" called someone.

"WHAT?!" the Hunter looked at the direction of the voice and yelled in aggravation, his terror stricken eyes meeting feminine brown ones, which showed worry and concern.

"Are you alright? You've been twitching and shouting in your sleep."

The Hunter groaned and brought a hand to his face, mentally telling himself that it was just a stupid dream. It had to be his mind playing stupid tricks on him again. This was the first time he _slept_ in a while, so maybe it was common to have a nightmare after not resting for a while.

"I'm fine," he muttered while glancing at the table, finding both the surface and the book littered with pieces of cabbage. "I have the tendency to lucid dream."

"Well, whatever you were dreaming must have been pretty-"

The young girl wasn't even able to finish her sentence due to the Hunter suddenly standing up and walking past her, leaving the book he was reading and an empty bag behind. He really wasn't in the mood to speak with her, let alone speak with anybody. It was best to keep himself away from people, not let them get involved in his life or associate with him.

The Good Hunter descended the stairs at a quick pace, hearing another second set of steps following not too far behind. It sounded like she was struggling to keep up, most likely trying to prevent the stack of books she had from slipping out of her arms. He picked up the pace and strode through the library's main lobby, opening the door to find himself under the morning sun.

"H-Hey! Wait up!" he heard the girl call out, glancing back to see her nearly stumble over.

Great, another one of _these_ persistent people. Just ignore them and they'll eventually screw off, that's how things usually work around here right?

And so he did. He continuously walked in a straight line with his hands stuffed into his coat pockets, acting uninterested and ignoring her calls to stop. The Hunter really hoped she would get the hint and leave him alone, but that petite runt kept on calling him out and continuously asking him if he was 'alright.'

The young man growled in aggravation and looked up into the sky, silently begging to any higher up to make this woman stop following him. He just wanted to be left alone for crying out loud! All he's asking for is a permanent life of peace and quiet, so why is it so hard to achieve that?! It's like he's a magnet for persistent people!

"Sir, please! If you need any help, I'll be more than happy to help you!" she called out once more, the very sentence that she said snapping the thin line that was the Hunter's patience.

'_Oh for the love of-' _

The Hunter stopped mid-stride and spun around, startling the blue-haired girl who stopped right behind him. Taking a deep breath, he firmly placed his hands onto her shoulders, refraining himself from squeezing onto them to release all of his pent up stress and aggravation. He stared at her with the eyes of a man who has seen many things that no human should ever see, seeing a bead of sweat form on the girl's brow.

"You want to help me, right?" he asked lowly, receiving a slow nod from the girl. "Then you can help me by leaving me alone."

The Good Hunter pushed the petite lady away, quickly lifting a finger up once she saw her opening her mouth to protest. He slowly backed away from her, making sure that she stayed right where she was standing. Nodding to himself, the Hunter turned around and continued his path down the stone road, leaving a nervous but concerned Levy McGarden behind.

'_Was...was that the guy Natsu was talking about?' _she held her books close to her chest, watching the infamous masked man Natsu talked about walking deeper into Magnolia.

* * *

**A/N:** **And that's that. Once more thank you to those who favorited, followed, and reviewed! I hope to see you all in the next chapter! **


	3. Settled In

_Eastern Magnolia_

People can describe muggy weather as melancholic or depressing; others describe it as relaxing or peaceful.

Well, both people were right in their own way.

A large bundle of clouds formed over the city late in the afternoon, and about an hour later the rain came down heavily. It forced some outdoor cafes and restaurants to close while others remained open, the seating just now inside.

There were people rushing through the streets with coats or umbrellas trying to find some shelter from the rain, a couple of laughs and annoyed groans being heard here and there. While everyone was trying to find shelter, there was one person who strode through the rain without a care in the world.

The Hunter had his hands stuffed in his coat pockets with his head hung low, ignoring the liquid that dripped down the ends of his cap. He constantly felt the rain pattering against his leather coat, relieved that the leather he had was water resistant. There were also some extra layers of the material hidden underneath which protected him from the cold. Funny how he originally thought the layers were supposed to add some more defense from both blunt and thrust attacks from the beasts. Oh well, you live and you learn... repeatedly.

Anyway, it has been a week since his very rude awakening and troublesome day. During those couple of days, he's bounced between libraries to gain more information, explore the city to get accustomed to the streets, and take on bounty hunting jobs. He had to make money one way or another if he was going to survive, even if it meant going back to his bloody roots, unfortunately.

The Hunter rounded the corner of the street and entered a plaza, looking up to see his destination. Right in the center of the plaza was a building that was completely made of wood from the ground up, two light lacrima crystals next to a wooden sign that has seen better days.

'_Drunken Mage's Tavern' _it read, the edges of the green letters chipped off.

Apparently the tavern was a haven and a hub for any swashbucklers, mercenaries, and bounty hunters looking for a decent paying job or a place to disconnect and get ruined by alcohol. He discovered this place not too long after his interaction with the petite bluenette, and now the Good Hunter frequently came here just for bounty hunting jobs. Nothing else.

The Hunter stopped at the door and knocked twice with the back of his hand, waiting patiently for a response. The small wooden slot opened, revealing two crimson colored eyes boring into the foreigners' apathetic expression.

"Mark?" the owner of the eyes grumbled.

Without hesitating, the Hunter slightly pulled on his right glove to expose his wrist, revealing the Bold Hunter's Mark that was permanently scarred on his caucasian skin. The man on the other side narrowed his eyes and quickly slid the slot shut before opening the door, revealing a built man who lacked any hair and was as tall as the Hunter.

"Welcome back, Good Hunter," he greeted while watching the young man enter the tavern.

The scent of cigarettes and alcohol filled his nostrils as he walked through the dimly lit tavern, ignoring the men and women laughing together while holding mugs filled with beer, whiskey, and rum. Those who weren't as drunk either spared a glance or glared before going back to their own business. At the end of the tavern was a bar being tended by a middle-aged man wearing a gray suit and tie, his black hair slicked back neatly. He also had a rough looking beard concealing the lower part of his face.

The barman just served someone a mug of beer before looking down the aisle, seeing the familiar cloak wearing bounty hunter approaching the bar. Without a word, he immediately went to work grabbing a drink for the Hunter who sat himself down at the middle barstool. After a few minutes, he walked back with a mug of ale, sliding it down the wooden counter to which the Hunter caught with his hand.

"Good Hunter," the barman greeted with a nod.

"Eddy," he hummed, slightly lowering his mask as he took a sip from the mug, sighing as he felt the liquid burn the back of his throat momentarily.

"I take that you finished your hunt?"

The Hunter lowered his mug and reached into his coat pocket, grabbing a rolled up poster and handing it over to Eddy. The barman took it and rolled it open across the counter, humming as he saw the face of a twisted man grinning sadistically at whoever was looking right at him, a smear of crimson highlighted above his name.

"So, you killed the very man the royal guard has been trying to track down for months?" Eddy rhetorically asked while grabbing a pen and a document from beneath the counter. "Those guys won't be happy. Governments been wanting to put him on trial for the crimes he committed."

"Idiotic of them wanting to put a beast like him to stand trial," The Good Hunter scoffed while watching the barman fill out his 'name', PO Box, status of the criminal, and cause of death if the criminal was killed. "I bludgeoned him to death with a brick. You'd hardly recognize his face."

"Brutal," Eddy hummed while filling out the last portion of the document. "No remorse for human life, and you kill without even using a weapon."

"I do what I have to do to survive, Eddy," he took one final swig from the mug, slamming it down on the counter and releasing a satisfied sigh. "Besides, there was no humanity left within him when I faced the bastard, not even a single shard. So, I didn't kill a human… I killed a beast."

There he goes again, claiming that he's killed a beast instead of a human. Granted, the jobs he took on had hefty bounties over notorious criminals that were deemed as monsters or inhumane by society, but a human life is a human life. Not to mention, the look in the Hunter's eyes when he calls these criminals beasts was… disturbing. He couldn't describe the look word for word, but it was something that disturbed him greatly. Thankfully, his tough exterior did not show his concerned look.

The barman placed the document on the poster and rolled it up, placing both of his hands on the ends and closing his eyes. Purple magic seals formed on the palm of his hands, quickly crushing the poster and sending it away to the people who were going to pay the Hunter handsomely.

"There, they should deliver your payment by tomorrow morning," he informed the Hunter who nodded, sliding the mug over to him before standing up and adjusting his mask. "Anything else you need?"

"That'll be all," the young man took some steps back and tipped his cap at the barmaid, turning his direction to the door. "See you around, Eddy."

"Take care, Good Hunter," the barman watched the Hunter leave while cleaning the empty mug with a handkerchief, narrowing his eyes once he crossed the door's threshold and back into the rain.

This man… this _Hunter_… was far from normal. Even the others agreed amongst one another when he left the tavern for the first time. There were already rumors flying around that he has seen things that no one could even imagine, things that could make any sane man or woman go insane in the blink of an eye. Others said that he claimed to have hunt beasts, but instead he murdered innocents who he saw as beasts. Rumors are rumors though, so any or all of them could be false. Regardless, he was a dangerous person, and many people were thankful that he was on their side… _hopefully._

"HEY, WHO TOOK THE STUPID ISLAND QUEST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOARD?! I CALLED DIBS!"

* * *

_Later that Evening_

If there was one thing that he missed the most, it would be his weapons. The feeling he would get when transforming them into something greater was absolutely exhilarating. No matter how terrified, angry, or disturbed he was when fighting his enemies, all of that seemed to vanish briefly every time he snapped his two weapons into one or stun an enemy with a perfect shot. Now he was stuck in a different world with new threats without his trusty trick weapons, forcing him to use his bare hands. The thought of using his hands reminded him of the first time he tried to fight the beast scarfing on the corps in Iosefka's clinic. The end result was the first of many gruesome deaths he would experience.

The Good Hunter unconsciously placed a hand on his stomach and shuddered, closing his eyes and mentally tucking the nightmarish thought to the back of his head, '_Not now…'_

As soon as he finished that thought he suddenly ran into a door, the sudden impact causing him to stumble back a little. He opened his eyelids and already found himself standing right at the entrance of an old one story hotel. This was the place that he had been staying in throughout the week, the wood decaying from age while the cracked windows were collecting soot and mold. The rooms were not much better either, but hey it's much better than sleeping in a dumpster.

He entered the hotel and walked through the old lobby which literally had a single couch coated with cobwebs, a stash of magazines that's never been touched once, and the front desk which was unoccupied at the moment. It seems like everywhere he goes he'll never avoid old and rundown places, which he didn't care about to be honest. As long as there's a roof over his head, everything was perfectly fine.

The Hunter grabbed onto the wooden railing and carefully stepped up to the second floor, hearing sweeping not too far.

'_Ah, seems like she's busy once more,' _he thought as he continued climbing up the stairs

He stepped onto the second floor and looked down the one sided corridor, spotting the short elder sweeping the floor of her hotel humming a small tune. She was naturally short actually, the old woman reaching to his hips.

The elder sensed a familiar presence and stopped her sweeping, looking at the direction where the Hunter was with a sweet smile on her wrinkled face, "Ahh, if it isn't the Good Hunter! How was your day today, dearie?"

"Busy," he nodded as he approached her, taking off his cap and rubbing a hand across his unkempt, black hair. "How about you, Miss Mishima? I hope business is running smoothly."

"Well, if you're talking about the occasional riled up love birds that come in and leave a tip inside the rooms then yes, business is running smoothly," she joked before resuming her sweeping. "By the way dear please, call me Mima."

The Hunter rolled his eyes and shook his head, feeling the corner of his lip crack ever so slightly. Ever since he stumbled in here the night after his awakening, Mima cared for him like how a grandmother would. At first it surprised him, wondering why an old lady would be so caring and open to a stranger who wondered in here for shelter. There were probably many other strangers who stumbled into the motel before him, but… why him? Why take a hunter who knew nothing but death and destruction?

The answer to his question was rather simple.

"_You're troubled, scared, and hungry young man. I can see your ribs through that cloak of yours." _

And so from that day forth she provided him a room to stay in free of charge, frequently checking now and then every time when he came back from his bounty hunting work to see if he was fine. She even cooked him some food despite his protests!

What she did was very sweet and selfless of her to do, and for some reason… she reminded him of the Doll. Albeit not made of porcelain and much more chatty.

So as a result of her kind act, he returned it in a similar fashion. Every time he got his payment he would split the money and let her take most of it. It's quite ironic because when he did, she would protest telling him to keep his hard earned money. Regardless of her protests, he still handed her the money, hoping that the elder would stop protesting one day and just accept his selfless repayment without any complications.

The Hunter walked over to one room that had a door slightly ajar, narrowing his eyes as he peeked inside. He was met by a disgusting sight that didn't even faze him, "Have you even got started on the rooms?"

Mima stopped her sweeping and rubbing a finger on her wrinkling chin, soon realizing that she hasn't even started on the rooms. She completely forgot about them while she was sweeping the floors and dusting the cracked widows.

"Oh dear, it seems I've forgotten to start on them today," the elder sighed, rubbing her face.

The Hunter rubbed his chin and nodded silently before walking down to the end of the corridor where the supply closet was. Well, this was going to be a long night filled with cleaning stains and readjusting sheets, but he was doing this to save Mima the stress that she had endured for who knows how long. Also, it was time to extend his repayment to her other than to hand her his Jewel.

"Don't you dare, young man! I can take care of the rooms myself!" Mima warned him, only to be ignored when he began to rummage through the items inside.

He pulled out a bucket and dumped an assortment of cleaning items into it, grabbing a mop afterwards. The Good Hunter soon made his way over to the room, only to stop when a pink blur zoomed right in front of him. The stubborn owner had her short arms spread out, preventing him from walking any further.

"Dear, I really appreciate that you're willing to help me, but please let me clean the rooms," Mima said with a sweet smile, hoping he would drop his items and just walk straight to his room. "The hotel has been my responsibility and mine only."

The Hunter stared down at her for a moment, leading for Mima to believe that he would leave one of the many responsibilities to her. Well, that belief was crushed when he placed his hand on her head, effortlessly sliding her to the side.

"Apologies, Miss Mishima," he began as he took a step inside the room, turning to her and grabbing the door. "But protesting won't clean this mess any faster."

Without giving her the chance to protest, The Hunter quickly closed the door, soon getting started on cleaning up the first of many rooms for the night.

Mima stared at the wood for a moment before lowering her head and sighing, releasing a soft chuckle. He was very, very stubborn, but who was she to say such a thing?

For too long she the weight of her responsibilities pressed down on her aching shoulders, constantly cleaning her mess of a hotel and tending to her bills. Things have been going downhill for a long time, and she was on the verge of losing her precious hotel, passed down from generation to generation.

Then the young lad came along.

He was stumbling about in the lobby with an exhausted look on his face while clutching his stomach. Mima already knew that he was distressed beyond belief just by the look in his eyes, and for some reason… she knew that there was more in that look than meets the eye.

The elder dismissed the thought and got back to sweeping, the two cleaning the decaying hotel for the night.

* * *

_The Hunter's Dream_

Gherman sat in silence out in the field of flowers, slightly leaning on the cane that he held between his legs. He stared up at the moon that watched over the Hunter's Dream, his frown deepening while he tightened his grip on the end of the cane.

Something was wrong. Gherman felt something within the Hunter that concerned him. As much as he wanted to know what was wrong… he didn't. Like many other hunters he abolished, he felt nothing but peace within their souls. Sure there were those who were greatly scarred to the point where they begged him to end their lives, but once he granted their wishes he felt their once conflicted souls finally rest in peace as they moved pass the barrier and to their homes in the Waking World.

However, the Hunter he recently abolished had something different.

There was something dormant deep within the soul of the Good Hunter, like a virus waiting for the perfect conditions to begin its attack. Not only that, The First Hunter knew that during the ritual he felt something within the cosmos shift, as if there was a breach in a different plain once the rugged metal of his scythe cut through the flesh of one of the many Hunters he cared for. He could sense the reality of the Dream and Yharnam slip away and invade this new plain. Once more like a virus being sent into its host and waiting for the right conditions to attack.

A virus _within_ a virus.

Gherman lowered his head and shook his head slowly, his worst fear may have come to pass.

"Oh… what have you done…" he gravely muttered, feeling a new yet familiar presence finally awakening within the dream.

It was time for the Hunt to start anew.

* * *

_The Next Day_

A small prodding sensation was the first thing he felt when he stirred awake. It was repetitive, poking his side over and over as if someone were trying to nibble through his clothing. The Hunter tried to dismiss the feeling as he rolled over, hearing the slight clinking of a bucket where his feet were. Just as he had hoped the annoying sensation finally stopped, this bringing out a satisfied sigh from the young man as he felt himself falling under the sweet spell of sleep he so desperately needed once more.

Then suddenly something poked his cheek, forcing his skin to press up against his cheekbone. He instantly snapped his eyes wide open, his vision completely obscured by a white decaying face with its mouth wide open, its single eye boring into his black ones.

The Hunter instantly felt his heart leaping into his chest as he gripped the clean bedsheets underneath him. What was right before him was either real or another stupid hallucination he hoped that it was one of those stupid hallucinations, and he prayed that it was the latter.

And so he shut his eyes with one thing in mind, hoping that when he opened them the little abomination would no longer be clouding his vision.

* * *

**A/N: Apologies for the short chapter, but I just wanted to squeeze this one out before finals take over. Anyway, I need help with something. I'm having trouble on how the Hunter will receive his weapons, debating on two choices that I will give you readers! I've set up a poll on my profile with the two choices I had in mind, and I'll greatly appreciate it if you readers voted on either of them! **

**I shall reveal the results in the next chapter which will begin the Galuna Island Arc. Yes, canon is finally starting! **

**And that's that. See you all in the next chapter! **


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